0-8-4 LABYRINTH
by LexieAnge
Summary: Coulson comes to the team with a mission. Mass child kidnappings with "monsters". Skye knows only two people that could help if a novel was coming to life. Levy McGarden and Sarah Williams.
1. Chapter 1

_0-8-4 LABYRINTH_

_A.N. I don't own Shield, Labyrinth or Fairy Tail _

Chapter One

Coulson places a red leather book on the table next to Skye. Being young he thought that she might recognize it. However it was Simmons that pulled it from her hands. "Fitz, do you know what this is?" Simmons went off into one of her overly excitable tangents that Skye could only smile about. The girl was geeking out.

"Labyrinth?" Skye raised an eyebrow at Coulson. "That David Bowie movie?" She asked.

"A cover by S.H.I.E.L.D." Simmons stared stunned at their boss.  
"So then Terry Jones-" The girl sat down. What did this mean for her childhood?

"Yes he is one of us." Skye just smiled. Her life was always so interesting. "This book is considered a 0-8-4. Though the top minds have yet to figure out how this works. Some how in 1986 a young girl, named Sarah Williams summoned an alien, known only as the Goblin King to our realm."

"His name is Jareth." Skye piped up. "Why are we getting involved in this now sir?" Coulson waved his hand on the table top bringing up a map of the world. Blue, green an pink dots clustered in most of the country side.

"It seems that whatever this is it is staying outside the cities." Fitz pointed out. Sky turned to her laptop. As Coulson had thought she had some in sight that she needed to dig up. "Maybe it wants to stay away from authorities?" Fitz offered. "Why the colors?'

"Blue are just everyday normal kidnappings." They vanished off the screen.

"Pink are the ones that have to do with two or more siblings and the green is the ones with eye witnesses that claim that monsters took the kids." Coulson said. "I was hoping that one of you might know someone that could decipher the book to get down to the bottom of this. To stop what ever monster is doing this."

"I do." Skye puts up a S.H.I.E.L.D. File so everyone to see. A young woman twenty-three year old, five foot, blue haired girl. "This is Levy McGarden. We were at the same orphanage. She is an expert on odd texts and languages."

"That is the issue?" Throwing up another file next to Levy's. The angry guy covered in piercings and leather. "Oh."

"This is Gajeel Redfox. When we were teenagers Levy ran into him on her way home from meeting. He kicked her friends' asses but seem to only knock her out." Coulson frowned. "He was trying to get to a friend of hers. However by the end of that year he started to follow her around protecting her from all the freaks that like little kids. I have only had one conversation with him. He is not that big of a talker but when Levy talks to him he smiles."

"Hmm. I guess we should piss him off then." Skye nodded. "How fast can you set up a meeting?"

"Done. She is going to meet me in Toledo."

"I will tell May to head for Ohio then."

"Toledo, Spain. She found a text that might help her. A history of Goblin myths."

"Well done." Skye smiled. She liked getting praise from Coulson. He liked giving it to her. The girl was nothing like the story surrounding her. "Get ready. We will be touching down in a few hours."

Skye closed her laptop and headed to her bunk with the book. Stopping briefly at Ward's. It was odd that he wasn't there but stranger still that he turned out to be the enemy. However Hydra could wait. They had to find these kids. Stop whatever monster was doing this. Then they could go back to kicking Ward's ass. First the book.

The leather bound book only held fifty pages. Skye could see the draw of this story. It told a story of a girl that was taken to fantastic place where she grew up on a journey to save her brother whom she had mistakenly cursed. The Goblin King claimed to love her yet he let her go after she stood up to him. Yet he did such horrible things to her. How could he love her when he tried to kill her?

This was not dissimilar to her own life. A man that she had given her a gift used it to hurt her and take away the things that she loved. Skye couldn't help but see Ward as the goblin king laughing. Grant Ward in the big 80's hair, open frilly white shirt and tighter than tight gray pants. Then she started to wonder if the real goblin king dressed like that still. Was the real Sarah anything like Jennifer Connelly? Could Levy figure out the summoning?

Levy. Skye smiled. She had no seen her closest friend since the hospital. When Gajeel had her. It was funny that Levy had changed her hair blue. Funnier still that S.H.I.E.L.D. was keeping tabs on her and Gajeel. Levy was nothing more than a book worm that believed in magic. Not magic that you see in the streets or Las Vegas. Real magic. Something that Skye knew was just abilities of aliens. Levy was going to be disappointed.

"Skye, we touch down in fifteen." Coulson stood at her door. "Skye?" His concerned look made her realize that she was crying. "You know that I would let you sit this out if I could."

"No no. it is okay sir. I was just thinking about stuff from the orphanage." Coulson joined her on the bed. "Sir."

"I know that it was not the ideal situation but it was something that the agency thought would be the best." Skye took Coulson's hand. "Once we figure out the whole story I am sure that it will make sense." She nodded. The more time that she spent with Coulson the more she wished that he had adopted her. "There is your smile."

"I was thinking something silly. We should go. Gajeel doesn't like waiting." They left her bunk. "I think that we should find this Sarah Williams or whatever her real name is. She might have insight that Levy can't give us."

"Already on that." Outside the hanger bay Coulson stopped. "Is it ready?"

Fitz turned around holding up something that was only the size of a dime. "It is based on the same tech as Trip's grandfather's quarters. As long as it is near a warm blood person we will be able to track you on our own secure channel." Was all the Skye got out of it before Fitz went off track.

"Good job. Fitz." The boy smiled. "Trip you ready to go?"

"Yes sir." Skye followed Coulson to where Lola was waiting. The car seemed a little beat up but she could still drive. Trip and Fitz saw to that.

"Everyone in." Coulson opened Lola's door.

"Remember to buckle up." Skye said to Trip as she got in the backseat. Never again would she do that again. It wasn't that long ago when she and Coulson escaped with the car. Skye was never happy to be on solid ground as she was when they landed. She smiled thinking about how her boss had saved her. There were so many happy memories here. It will be a shame to have to leave it.


	2. Chapter 2

_0-8-4 LABYRINTH_

_A.N. I don't own Shield, Labyrinth or Fairy Tail _

_Thanks for the reviews._

_**AN: Sorry guys I kinda of got lost in something else that wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it all down. **_ s/10476449/1/Silent-Spirit-Online_ **I honestly don't know what was on my mind when I wrote this but now it is done I will get back to other things. Thanks for all the likes and reviews. Lexie**_

CHAPTER TWO

Sarah's Bad Feelings

It was any normal day. Toby was doing home work with his five year old daughter, Maria and two year old son, Jared. I was heading to my room, to agonized over my written assignment. "Write a play about something from your childhood." Or so the manager demanded. Except my life was more fantasy than reality. How was I going to tell my boss at the Princess Theater that. Would S.H.I.E.L.D. stop me? Or Jareth stop me? Would I want him too?

Though I had not seen Jareth in the last twenty years, I have imagined him watching us. In all these years I had only told Toby about a man trying to take him but I stopped him. Me, the brave older sister. It was more than our parents and Toby's wife, Jennifer that died in that fiery accident a couple years ago. The burns on my face put a stop to my acting career. I was disappointed but I was the heart of the family that kept us together. We both moved into our childhood home. Maria has my old room. I have Dad and Karen's room. Jared has Toby's old room. Toby has a new room that we built over the new attached garage. We had finally settled into a mundane life but every once in a while I wished that Jareth would take me away. That is when I wake up.

"Sarah." Toby held the phone out to me. "Some guy named Jareth." Finally. I thought.

"Hello?" My chest hurt from holding my breath hoping it would be him. I didn't know why.

"Before you hang up listen." My breathe released. My work friend, Jerry was on the other end. "Sarah, we have a new actor. He starts tomorrow. He looks like that painting you did the last semester except less 80's." Part of me laughed at the idea.

"Jerry, I will let you go. I have a call to make." Anger, hope and fear filled me. Why would Jareth come to this world? Why now? Would he know me by looking at me? I am now a horrible monster.

"Toby, I will take this into my room. Why don't you order pizza? I am still on the call the money is in my backpack." So I went to my room.

Once there I knocked on my mirror. The magic shimmered. A short pudgy image on my friend Hoggle appeared. "Sarah, what do I owe this pleasure?" He hadn't changed. None of them had. Just me. I was not the girl they helped all those years ago. They didn't see the scars that scared me.

"I just want to know how it is going." That was code for I had a bad feeling. Hoggle has been my constant friend after this long. Even after I kissed him which sent us to the Bog of Eternal Stench. When I was upset he listened. When times like this that there was a chance Jareth was trying to get back in our lives Hoggle would turn the king back. I had wanted that years ago but now I was not sure. I am much older not. Twenty years older.

"Sorry, Sarah, the king and Didymus are touring the north country. There is a potential bride at Lake Jareth. I am the king's steward now." I saw the dwarf fidgeting. Someone was in the room with him. Hoggle kept looking off to his left.

"Congrats man. After all that crap he puts you through I am happy you got something out of it."

"Thank you. How is work going?" That was when I noticed the flowers behind of him. Every year I send Calla Lilies through the mirror, to mark my coming of age. I became so much more mature in the labyrinth and I felt I should thank it. Hoggle always places them on either side of the throne. After a few days they would vanish with shards of glass on the floor. It was only two weeks ago yet they were still there. I think that Hoggle saw what I noticed. His eyes squinted as he played with his jewels. Something was going on over there. What, I had no idea.

"My assignment is to write a play about my childhood. An object or event. The play will be acted out during spring break. I have no idea what I am going to do." Whoever was there moved closer to the mirror. I could now see the shadow on the floor. It seemed more human than goblin. He was there. Listening to the conversation.

"You really did not have a typical youth." I sat on my bed as Hoggle thought about it. "Do you have the red book?" The book that started this all, stayed in my bedside table. He knew that. It was a summoning spell. Why would I use it?

"Won't that draw his attention?" It took seconds for the king to find me as I cast the spell. Then S.H.I.E.L.D. came to take the book the next day. My parents didn't know what happened. I was told not to tell anyone for fear that I would be thought crazy. At fifteen I believed the agents. That was not the strangest part. A few years later I had a dream that I had gone to the castle only to be alone. Another older copy of the book lay on my bed with a rose. An inscription inside the book was not written in English or and modern human language. I knew that I had to keep it. After that birthday a rose would appear on my bed. Not this year though.

"By the time Jareth hear about it it will be over. Spring break is in a few months right?" I was about to say something but Hoggle stopped me. "Trust me. He is off looking for a queen. If anything changes I will let you know. You always tell me an author writes what she knows."

"If you're sure." I questioned. He knew the rules as much as I did. Why was he pushing it.

Something scared Hoggle on the other end. It took all I had to go through the mirror to find out. "Yes. The Goblin King is not interested in you." That broke my heart. Jareth wanted nothing more to do with me.

"Thanks Hoggle." I replied unsure. He vanished from view. That put a weight off my shoulders. Why? I went over the conversation over and over in my head until the buzzer rang. Taking a deep breath I left my room.

Toby opened the door to the pizza driver while I pulled the twenty from my pack. Jeans, runners, black nylon coat and a hat pulled low to cover his face as he looked down. When I turned around the man was gone. "He said he paid for it. He said that you and he are childhood friends." The scrolling script at the bottom of the bill said something in goblin. I FOUND MY QUEEN.

My brother watched as I crumpled up the paper and ran out the door. He was just getting into his car. I still couldn't see his face. "Jareth?" He stopped. "We aren't friends." The man didn't turn. "I would like to pay for the pizza."

"I don't want your money." Holding a hand over my scars I saw his eyes. One blue, one brown. Both sad. Jared come out to take my left hand. "There is only one thing I want and you know what it is." He said getting into his gold Scion. You had the chance! My mind screamed at him. He didn't seem to notice.

"Auntie was that a friend of yours?" Jared asked. I knelt down to the boy. The very image of Toby at two. If Jareth was here he wanted an heir. Any heir. The car drove away.

"If he come near you, Jared, and Daddy or I am not there, I want you to run." The boy nodded. I sighed. I guess now I was going to have to call the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Did I even know who was assigned to me any more? Did I really want to call them? With the agency technically gone was there anyone to call? Did I need the help? It is Jareth. I beat him once, and I was a teenager. I am older now. He still has now power over me.

"Who is he?" Toby asked. Was it time or wait for Jareth to attack? Did I really know what his plan was?

"Until I say other wise stay away. Be on guard." The boy saluted me before marching into the house. Toby just frowned at me. "I will tell you when I know more. Trust me."

After supper there was chores, tv then bed for the kids. I stared at my laptop until I knew that Toby was sleeping. Closing his door I went to the living room. This was worth a shot. "I wish Jareth would come talk to me right now."

No strong wind. No doors opening. No giggles of little goblins. Nothing. Maybe he really didn't want to talk to me. My emptiness dropped me to my knees to cry silently. After two hours without an answer the book landed near me. I back to my laptop to write the play. This time I was going to tell it my way not the way the movie showed. More trials. More fear. More grown up tension. I will have him sing again. If only to hear the words that echo in my head.

Morning came and the first draft as well as my cover letter sat printed in my folder in my lap top bag. I was showered, dressed and had breakfast ready when Toby and the kids, whom came bright eyed and bushy tailed came into the kitchen. Toby and his family are the only thing that brings me joy anymore. I forget some times that I had a chance to have this for myself. Then I remember the rejection.

"I had the strangest dream last night. I was maybe one or two climbing all these stair. None of the stairs were pointing the same way. Like a M. C. Escher painting. You were trying to get to me. I heard you calling my name. I watched you jump. That is when I woke up." I shook. That was the most afraid I have even been. Jumping not knowing if I would break my legs or save Toby from falling. "I probably read that little red book too many times." We finished eating with out a word. "Will you be home?"

"I think so. It's movie night so I am going to try." Toby smiled humming as he left the table. It was "Within You", that David Bowie sang at that point in the movie. I watched Toby get the kids on the bus, from the living room window. Toby waved once before getting into his car.

"JARETH!" Nothing. "You better not be here for them." _Or what, Sarah? _I heard echo in my mind. "You may be immortal but you still feel pain. You will wish you could die." _You already torture me. _"Oh do I now? Maybe you should come here and talk about it."Nothing

I handed the play to the Manager's assistant, Mila, who was to edit it. Then I was told to do the casting. "Here Sarah, this is the guy I called you about last night." Jerry, passed me one profile, no picture. Three years older than me, blonde hair, one blue, one brown eye. Likes puzzles and dancing. It read as if I was reading a dating profile. However it did sound like Jareth. "He is going to be here at noon."

I have a plastic grandmother clock, in my office, that chimes on the hours of eight, twelve and four. I didn't even hear the bell at noon. It was three when Mila came into the office. "Sarah?" I looked away from her knowing full well she pitied me for my scars. "I have had a chance to review your first draft." My heart stopped. "In your write up, you said that it was a book your mother left you. However you give no credit. It sort of sounds like a cross between Labyrinth the movie and a Grimm's fairy tale."

"Credit?" Pulling my bag on to my lap, I reached in the bag for the wore book. "I have had this most of my life but I don't know the author's name." Mila snatched the book from my fingers. I stared at her. My heat stopped thinking that she wasn't going to give it back. "Excuse me, can I have my book back?" I held my hand out to her.

"Goblin king, where ever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me." When nothing happened, she glared at me. "Will he come?" I laughed. I don't even know why. Didn't she learn from the movie it doesn't work that way? As much as I hated that movie as a child it was close to what I went through. On a PG level. Not everything awful got into the movie. Seeing a child unsaved turn from a human into a goblin. Killing monsters that stood between me and my goal. Fighting the goblin king with swords before my big speech. Now it was a sad reminder of my one chance at freedom.

"You have to say I wish. You have to be with the child." She didn't like my answer.

"That is not fair." I just smiled remembering how he put me on the spot.

"Life is not fair."

"Do you think that he really looks like David Bowie?" No. He was younger. Twenty something back then. Softer features. Now he looked more tired. Thinner even.

"There is no author written here. You are going to need to research it for the final draft." I nodded. Mila slammed the book back into my hand. "The boss wants you to finish work by Friday."

At four the chime rang so I closed the laptop. My eyes rolled as I heard my cell ring. The only ones that called that were work or Toby. "Toby?" I asked. "What happened?"

"I wanted to ask you something." Nothing serious. "Maria was lent a movie by a friend. She wanted to know if we can watch it tonight."

"You know that I will see any movie they want as long as I only have to watch it once." He sighed. This was not going to be good. "What movie is it Toby?"

"It's Labyrinth." Why is this coming up so much lately? "I know how you feel about this movie." No, you really don't.

"No, it is okay. If she wants to see it, I will sit through it." I heard her cheer in the back ground. "Do you want me to go to the daycare?"

"Please. She wants Chinese tonight. Says chow mien looks like goblin hair." I frowned at that. Such an imagination. Ludo's hair was super fine and soft. Didymus' more like course dog hair.

"Okay, I will be there in ten." So I left with the book, script and a dread in the bottom of my belly that refused to let go. Driving to the daycare I turned the radio on 102.3 Now to find them playing David Bowie. "I only wished you sang like this. It would have been easier for me." I said out loud. I have nothing but respect for the man but the real Jareth's voice seemed to wrap me in warmth then pulls my soul from my body. Just remembering it makes me shiver.

My cell rang again. I was in the parking lot for the daycare. "Hey Toby?"

"Jared is gone." I didn't even close the phone. My heart stopped as I ran to the building. The workers seemed to be in tears.

I pulled one to face me. "What do you mean Jared is gone?" She gasped. "Who took him?" She fell to her knees pointing to a blanket wet with blood. I pulled the sheet off the body that was too large to be a child to find Melinda, Jared's favorite worker dead. Run through with a sword, I would say. "What happened?"

"A blonde man came in with a saber. A sword. He said that he wanted Jared Williams. Melinda protected him until the man stabbed her." Toby said behind me. "That was what I was telling you before I realized that you weren't the phone." My fists clenched. "Do you think that it the man that you were talking about last night?"

"This is not his M.O." I noticed Maria standing at the door. "Take her to a hotel Toby. It is not going to be safe at home." I went to Maria whom was tearing up. I picked her up without breaking stride. "Don't worry Maria. Just as I got your daddy back from the bad men I will get your brother."

"Let me go with you Auntie." She hugged me close.

"I can't let you baby. You need to keep Daddy safe." That slowed the tears. "Do you remember your princesses?"

"Belle, Mulan and Merida?"

"What did I tell you about them?"

"That they are smart women who did what they had to to help their families?" I smiled at her. "Are you going on an adventure like them?"

"Yes sweetie." She hugged me tighter. "This time I know what I am doing. I know what has to be done so I will be back really soon. Can you be brave for your Daddy?" She nodded. "Good girl." Toby took her. "I will call when I find anything. Just don't go to the house." He nodded. "If it was Jareth I will get back your son."

"You should let the police help."

"The police can't follow me where I have to go." I opened the door to my Aztec. "Toby it is better that you don't know right now. I will tell you everything when I get back." It was a good thing that the house was close to the daycare. I was in no shape to drive when I got home. I could feel my magic coming to the surface before I even opened the door. Candles lit as I entered the living room. "JARETH!" I screamed. "Jareth, you fuck head, get your Fae sparkly ass here now." I touched the mirror. It shimmered to an empty thrown room. "Jareth!"

"I am here." He said from the door. Grey blonde hair clean cut, miss matched eyes sadder than they were, in a three piece suit. "What is it Sarah? You have never called me like this before."

No matter my feelings for him I couldn't let leave this room. Not without my Jared. So I punched him. "Where is Jared?" He stood feeling his lip.

"I don't know. I was usurped." My eyes widened. "After my defeat by you my half brother came to power. I was hoping to get close to you so that I could get your help."

"Why?" I wasn't going to budge.

"Why what?"

"Why did he feel your one defeat made you unfit to rule?"

"Because I promised that I would never take another human child again." I frowned. "Goblins, like all fae have issues having children so my job was to get children from this world change them."

"I don't remember that being part of the promise." He reached for me but I backed away, remembering my scars. "I don't remember telling you you had to stop taking kids."

"I said that I would never bring Toby back. That I wouldn't bother you. I promised you a life of safety."

"Safe?!" I spun on him. Candles all round up lit. "Jareth look at me. Does it look like I was safe?" A tear rolled down over the scars. Jareth reached for me again. "I don't remember you keeping us safe from the crash. Did you just watch my almost die to save the babies?" His hand fell. "I am the freaking Phantom of the Opera now."

"I was removed from power so I couldn't watch over you anymore." So all his promises were for nothing. "You remember what I said I wanted so I waited for your answer. It was too long for the other goblin lords. You know how time works in my realm. Your twenty years was something like forty in my realm. I was getting weak. I am not as powerful as I once was."

"What? Why?" He just looked at me. As if I was to figure it out on my own. That was the thing I hated most about this man.

"This is not something the Fae talk to humans about. It is a private matter." I shushed him seeing two women walking up the steps.

"Ms. Williams?" The older Asian lady spoke. She seemed to be the others boss. Military. Stern. Combat ready when Jareth turned around. "I am Agent May-"

"Fuck just what I need." I looked back at Jareth. "S.H.I.E.L.D. the Ex-Goblin King. Jareth these are the people that kept me sane after you sent us home." I waved my hand to snuff all the candles.

"You have been practicing." I spun on him. "It was a compliment."

"We are going with these people. You are going to tell them who took Jared. Then I am getting Jared back." Before I closed the door to the house I saw the shadow again. This time I could hear laughing as it appeared on the wood floor of the living room. Part of it poured upwards into a ball that flew at me.

"Sarah!" Jareth threw me to Agent May knocking her to the ground. When I turned back I watched Jareth being dragged through the mirror. I ran at it to follow but it shimmered. There was just laughing deep, dark scary. I watched Jareth being thrown into his thrown. "Get out of there Sarah."

"Jareth!"

"He will not kill me. He will kill you though." A gag was put over his mouth right before a gray transparent clawed hand took hold of my wrist. I watched Jareth fight against his restraints. Flying back into the couch I realized that the mirror was shattered. May held a gun ready for anything as the other girl ran to my side.

"We are leaving now." I was pulled from my house. To the car. "We don't have time."

"Actually we do. The only other mirror he can come through is in the attic in a locked box." I pulled my bag from my car. "Whoever is in charge of you didn't tell you anything thing, huh?" I got into the black SUV. "The mirror has to be a certain size. There is no need to worry. Just drive." I said sweetly to the younger agent. We were leaving the city when I realized that we were safe. Well safe for now.

Jareth wasn't king anymore. The new king was nameless. He wanted me dead. I held some of Jareth's magic. The magic of the elements. Without that the new king was never going to control the Labyrinth. That was the only thing I had over him. Damn Jareth for his stupidity. Time to be the brave older sister. I will not bow to this king any more than I had to Jareth.


	3. Chapter 3

_0-8-4 LABYRINTH_

_A.N. I don't own Shield, Labyrinth or Fairy Tail _

_Thanks for the reviews._

_**AN: Sorry guys I kinda of got lost in something else that wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it all down. **_ s/10476449/1/Silent-Spirit-Online_ **I honestly don't know what was on my mind when I wrote this but now it is done I will get back to other things. Thanks for all the likes and reviews. Lexie**_

CHAPTER THREE

Levy's Link

Gajeel didn't like waiting. Levy knew that. Especially not in all black in the summer sun. This mission was a favor to a friend too so he wasn't going to be paid by Skye. Though he had agreed Levy got the idea that he was just going along for her sake. He would rewarded when they got back to Magnolia. What should she give him? A home made supper? No she always cooked for him as of late. It was getting too expensive to take the Dragon Slayer out to restaurants. She could give him the jewels from her account, but then she would be short for her rent. Maybe it was time to give him her. Would he take her?

"I think they are here." Gajeel's growl woke her from her thoughts. She looked up to see Skye seemingly comforting her friend get sick in a trash can. "She smells odd. Not of Earthland, Edolas or here? What is she?"

"We grew up here. Before I was sent to Earthland." Levy, even to this day, had not come to terms with the fact in Earthland she was an anime character. She closed her book walking over to her long lost friend. "Gods." They embraced. They were as close as sisters when they bounded from foster home to foster home. Yet they were so different. Levy a child of magic and Skye of science. "You look good. How is life?"

"We just talked two days ago. Nothing has really changed." Skye said laughing. Levy had been her sounding board during this whole Ward thing.

"Are we going to get to it?" Gajeel slammed his cup down. Levy turned to him. "Sorry." He looked away.

"You have to excuse him. It has been a long trip. I have kinda been dragging him to hell and back." Levy linked arms with her friend. "Now come show me your book. I can't wait to see it." Sitting back at the table Trip pulled a couple more chairs for him and Coulson. Looks were traded between Gajeel and Trip. Sizing each other up in case it all went south.

Both part of some army yet Gajeel wore a ton of piercings and long spiky hair which suggested to Trip that Gajeel was undisciplined. Gajeel saw a by the book man that didn't know a thing about the real world around them. Coulson saw that they would be evenly matched in a fist fight but with weapons it would be something else. Gajeel gave off something that was not Earthly. Levy to a lesser extent. It was the same feeling that Coulson got from Skye herself.

"We could use as much information as you can get from this." Skye said handing the book over." Levy was already pulling her out her glasses. Gajeel and Skye could see the magic at work the second the bookworm started to read.

"So what brought you to Toledo, Gajeel?" Skye asked. The worry on his face was hard to see but it was still there.

"Shrimp said that you needed help. Her other partners would not be helpful to her so I came with her." Trip smiled at the nickname for the five foot nothing girl. "I don't like this place."

"You just miss your Exceed and your bed." Levy smiled before standing. There was something going on that didn't look right to Coulson. Skye saw that she wasn't holding the book anymore just that it floated between her hands. Levy looked at it with vacant eyes.

"Gajeel." He slammed the book down, closed. Levy collapsed into her chair not breathing.

"Levy?" At her name she gasped in. Her face was in his hands forcing her to look at him. "Levy?" Gajeel said softer.

"It is okay. I am safe." Her hands covered his. She was on the edge of tears. "It was so sad. One third of it's soul is missing and another is in pain. It reached out to me. I wasn't expecting that. I don't think it was either. I think that it was waiting for a woman not myself." Gajeel pulled the girl into his chest. "It wasn't trying to hurt me."

"Hush Levy. Catch your breath. Then tell us what you saw." Skye opened the book trying to see what Levy saw. Sure there was power but more like static. Levy didn't stop her. Only a true believer of magic could talk to the being on the other end. "I should call Gramps."

"No." He looked down at Levy. "This will not end. Not until the other pieces have been restored. It is dying. It was calling out for help. I can't go home now." The dragon slayer sighed. Levy won out again. Turning back to an on edge Coulson and Trip, Levy dried her eyes. "Here is the jest." Skye opened a new file. "The being tied to the book is not the one taking the kids. It needs help. It is dying."

"What is the entity?" Coulson asked.

"I don't know. I get the image of three parts. One has been pulled away for a long time. These piece was finally getting closer to returning to it." Levy started drawing on her napkins.

"What of the other two parts? You said that one part was in pain." Skye saw the loneliness in her friend's eyes.

"Three part three different types of pain. One of loneliness." She pointed to the green circle at the top of the paper. "One of rejection." That was the blue circle. It was on the direct bottom. "The last one is more a physical pain." The brown circle at the center of the page. It is the part that can't move to help the other two parts. Basicly a virus has invaded it's body. With it in this pain it can't do anything for the runners. The children are protected. The champions are dying though." Levy removed her glasses. Gajeel stopped her from opening the book again. "I am not going to use magic. It will be safe." Reluctantly Gajeel let Levy crack the book.

"So that is where the children are going?" Trip asked.

"The girl knew that the king of the goblins would keep the baby in his castle forever and ever and turn it into a goblin." Levy quoted from the book. "I don't think that is where they are being held. I don't feel fear." Levy flipped a few more pages. "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us forever."

"So these runners are the champions of the stole children and they are given thirteen hours to get to the castle beyond the goblin city." Coulson said. "But the runners are not making it?" Most of the missing children were lost to them now. Damn the slow intel. "Does it say how to stop the kidnappings?"

"My guess is that if you can get to the city within the allotted time that you will get the kids back. That is the deal that is made with the king when the runner begins. If there are as many as Skye has told me there is not enough time to rescue them. From what IT has been telling me I don't think the one pulling the children there is this Jareth the book talks about."

"It isn't." A man said arms crossed held up the door of the coffee shop. "Are you the one that my Labyrinth is panicking about girl?" He looked very much like David Bowie to Skye. Coulson saw it too. Putting him on edge. Skye noted that the goblin king was dressed in more modern clothing with a better hair cut. Jeans and a black dress shirt. Not the open shirt and tight pants.

"Relax." Levy said more to Gajeel than to the agents who all stood blocking her view of the fellow mage or Fae. "I think that I called him here." They all reluctantly sat. Jareth smiled walking over to Levy. "I talked to it. I know what it knows for the most part."

"Only one other mortal has dared to talk to my Labyrinth." Jareth took a hold of the child's chin raising it to look him in the eye. This was not a child. She was a woman. The tingle of magic filled her soul. Why was she here? Who had given her the gift of word magic? He smiled again as the young woman held a hand up to calm her beast down. This woman was truly dangerous.

"The Lonely Soul." The young woman offered. "The Labyrinth is the one in pain. That means you are The Rejected Soul." Jareth hissed. She was most certainly intelligent. Why was this girl not scared of him?

"The Lonely Soul?" Jareth could see Sarah lonely. With the scars he couldn't prevent nor heal she would leave society just like his friend, Erik. "Sarah was recently taken to safety by these people. She has little under eleven hours to get back her child." As if on cue Coulson's phone rang. "My Labyrinth sent me to answer the questions you have."

"I have so many, Majesty." Levy felt the pull of this man. There was something similar to Gajeel's inner pain that asked to be healed. She felt herself pulled into the protective arms of her dragon slayer. The pull was now shifted to behind her.

"That was May. We have to go." Coulson said looking down at Skye.

"Where?" Jareth asked picking up his book from the table. "Never mind." Suddenly they were in the hanger of the new base. "I will always know where she is." The bus was just landing. Coulson frowned slightly sighing when he saw his car. He didn't want to deal with magic today.

"You are the same soul." Levy said. Jareth gave her the book. "Thank you." Gajeel refused to let her out of arms reach. He didn't like the look on her face as she stared down this oddly smelling man.

When the ramp lowered slowly Jareth looked away from Sarah. The last time she had seen him he had been captured. It was slightly amusing to him that Marcos would find Jareth's cell empty. Less amusing was the look of fear and loneliness on Sarah's face as the mirror shattered. "Good to see you again Ms. Williams." The woman all but ignored the agent as she looked at Jareth. Jareth could feel her eyes on him.

"Precious?" Sarah ran at her king. Jareth was more than willing to accept her into his arms. Levy felt something shift within the book in her hand. The red ribbon in the book seemed to wind around them. Along with a gold that crossed the red every chance it got.

"How did you get away?" She whispered into the king's chest.

"The Labyrinth wanted me here to help this young lady." Sarah didn't look at any of the others. She just wanted to feel him to know that Jareth was real. "Come my love. We must explain to the agents what is going on in our kingdom."

"Your kingdom, Jareth." He smiled down at her. He would let her have her little victory over him until she understood where her magic came from.

"This is Levy McGarden and her pet dragon." Jareth gestured to the pair that look hardly human. Sarah tried to hide part of her face while still looking at the two newcomers. "Let me use some of my glamor on you, Sarah mine. If you will make you feel more comfortable." She simply nodded. Sarah had tried to use her magic to hid the scars but her magic didn't work that way. "I will show you how to do this for yourself later." He whispered.

"Thank you Jareth." That simple remark lit his face with hope and pleasure. Levy looked up to Gajeel. She had seen her slayer have that same face. He looked down at her.

"Shrimp?" Levy held his hand tighter. Did Gajeel love her as much as Jareth loved Sarah?

Coulson cleared his throat to get the attention of the couples. They were running out of time. If they were going to end the kidnappings these four needed to be more professional. "We should head to the conference room." Levy trailed behind Jareth and Sarah trying to figure out something that was starting to pull at her. There was a second pull. Just like the one from the book in her hands.

"Wait Sarah." Levy pulled her aside before they could get into the room. "Do you have a second book?" Sarah was taken back by the question. Who was this girl really? "So you do? I will trade you."

"I will take them both." Jareth said waving his hand. "They are far too much trouble in either of your hands." Jareth moved to the head of the table. Holding the second book. He knew this copy. This was his mother's. How did Sarah get it?

"Okay I suggest that you start from the beginning your Majesty." Coulson said sitting to Jareth's left. Levy on his right. Sarah at the far end. The farthest point away from him she could get at this half oval mirrored table.

"I will sum up, as the humans say for the tale is longer than one might think. It starts with before my birth. My Grandsire's birth also gave birth to the Labyrinth but it was lonely for my Grandsire left it alone in the goblin kingdom. Back then the Fae wanted to kidnap children for pleasure. As the centuries went by it became a need. Less and less true fae were being born. That lead him to send his son to rule over the Labyrinth. There was a kinship with the maze and my father due to their loneliness. So the labyrinth sent this book," Jareth held up the book with the gold ribbon. "out to a "Daughter of the King", as the tale goes."

"A princess?" Jareth shook his head. "A French Canadian settler?" Skye asked to nods.

"This girl was not a normal girl. She held the old ways close to her heart. She wished away her own daughter, born of rape." Sarah was suddenly glad that was not what Toby was to her. She may not have gone after the child. "When my father gave her the choice to stay in place of the child or to run Lorelei stayed. She was too old to change to a Fae so my father just kept her mortal. She was only fifteen." Sarah frowned. "Things were different back then Love."

"I get that." She sneered. "Continued."

"Eventually they fell in love. They married when Lorelei came of age. It was many years of heart ache for my mother. She wanted to give the man she loved a true heir. My father already had a bastard but Marcos wasn't allowed to rule. One night she went to the heart of the Labyrinth and asked for help."

"The Labyrinth cut itself into three parts." Levy understood now. "It gave your mother a part of itself to bare as the new ruler then one that would be your match." Jareth was amused with the blue haired mage. "When the Labyrinth thought it was time-" Sarah groaned. She knew where this was going.

"It sent the book to Sarah." Both otherworldly faces turned to Sarah making her feel uneasy. Were they saying that Jareth was her soul mate and that the Labyrinth was the link between them? "It explains much, doesn't it?"

"Screw you." She snapped. "I went through hell to get Toby back. Only to have my life suppressed by S.H.I.E.L.D. then had a movie made to hide the fact that I was not the only runner. Jareth you nearly killed me."

"Had you just taken my initial offer it wouldn't have played out like that." He smiled back at her. This was his Sarah. The fighter.

"Can I ask you one question before we get to modern times?" Jareth didn't take his eyes off Sarah until he saw her fill with jealousy for the mage. "What does the inscription say?"

"To My Beautiful Wise Queen, may this remind you of better times when you are low. Light the darkest night and fill the loneliness until I return. Your loving King." It was almost a whisper. Jareth didn't have to look at the page. "From there it talks about how much he loves her." He turned back to Sarah. "When did you take it from my room?" His eyes narrowed. She came around to him. Levy handed her the book.

"I have only been in your room once. That night I dreamed that even in your castle I would be alone. The morning came but you never did. It was my eighteenth birthday. Toby was away and not even my multidimensional friends destroyed the loneliness. All I got was this damn book." Sarah was angry about that night. He remembered it well.

She was prefect laying in his bed dressed in the green velvet gown he kept for her in the wardrobe. It was the dress that he had made for her when and if she decided that she would be his. However she was Sarah and she fought whatever demons she thought she needed to. She wouldn't be the woman he loved if it wasn't her being stubborn. For hours he had watched her sleep there. When she turned to face him he could have sworn he heard his names on her lips. Everything he wanted in two worlds that he couldn't bring himself to take for fear of another rejection. So he took her home then stayed until she woke.

"You would never be alone." She thought it was a dream. That gave Jareth hope. "If you were the queen inscribed in the book, we would live out your life in happiness. Just like my parents." She looked down to the book. "The copy you have here is my mother's. The other one the Labyrinth sent to you when Toby was born." Sarah gasped holding it tighter to her chest. "You know how I feel, Sarah. The ball has been in your court for twenty years. You have yet to fully deny me the happiness I could give you." She said nothing. "First let us find your child." He was holding his hand out to her.

"Not yet. There are still some gaps." Skye said. "I don't get what is going on now. Why have you pulled so many children into your realm?"

"After Sarah left me I told the high council that I didn't want to take any more children. About ten of your years ago it was decided as my father's only other son that Marcos was to rule. I was stripped of my powers, well my remaining powers. They didn't understand where the rest of them went." Jareth looked to Sarah. She was confused. So much so she fingered her scars. "I went into hiding until I could regain the powers that the Labyrinth had given me at birth."

"Where did you go?" Sarah frowned deeper. Hoggle had been lying to her for ten years. What the hell?

"Do you remember Lord Erik?"

"How can I forget the real Phantom of the Opera?" Skye groaned what else from her child hood was true? "Christine and I ran together after her fiance wished away her baby."

"Erik was the boy's real father. Since I gave him a favor he hid me from my brother. Gustav became such the protege. Erik has taught him well." Jareth sat Sarah down falling to her knees. "I am sorry, love. Meg killed Christine in a bout of jealousy. Erik and I did everything we could but she was past anything my powers could heal. Had Marcos not taken the bulk of my magic I could have saved her."

That was the last straw. This Fae was going to taste steel. "I wish the king of the goblins-" Jareth kissed Sarah to stop the spell. He was not going to let Marcos have her. Not ever. Sarah was his.

"I will go get more information and then we will go get your son." Jareth whispered into her lips.

"Take Erik with you." He kissed her again quickly.

"I will be back by night fall with the current status of my lands." Coulson nodded. If only to get the frustrating man out of his sight. Jareth needed to stay on topic. However more intelligence would be nice. It would give Coulson extra time to find a reason to stop this civil war to get all the children back. Coulson felt Skye grip his arm.

Levy held both books. This time she was glowing green, blue and brown. "This is what the Labyrinth wants. It wants to be whole." She turned full brown. _"Once Jareth is back on his throne and the powers have returned the children will be released. None will become Fae unless Marcos takes the power."_ Gajeel jumped to Levy as she fell to the floor. "It could have warned me." Skye moved to her friend. Levy took Skye's hand.

"Shrimp?"

"I need to get some rest. That took all the magic I had left." Skye looked up to her boss.

"Take them to the guest rooms. Ms. Williams if you wish to retire you can as well. I believe we have all had a very long day."

"What of the time limit?" Simmons asked. "The rules of the game say thirteen hours."

"I have a plan if Jareth doesn't return." Sarah said. Her hands in fist on the mirrored table. "He better come back or I will hunt him down when I get back there." The table cracked from one end to the other but did not fall apart. Coulson was about to say something but Sarah turned to him. "If we don't want guests anything that is a mirror bigger than a hand span must be locked away." May stood up taking Fitz and Simmons with her. Coulson sighed.


	4. Chapter 4

_0-8-4 LABYRINTH_

_A.N. I don't own Shield, Labyrinth or Fairy Tail _

_Thanks for the reviews._

_**AN: Sorry guys I kinda of got lost in something else that wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it all down. **_ s/10476449/1/Silent-Spirit-Online_ **I honestly don't know what was on my mind when I wrote this but now it is done I will get back to other things. Thanks for all the likes and reviews. Lexie**_

CHAPTER FOUR

Sarah couldn't help but pace. The clock said that it was midnight. Even in the underground it was after nightfall. Why wasn't Jareth back yet? Did his brother capture him again? Did Erik refuse to help him? "Come on. Don't make me wait like this. I have to get Jared back." At this point she only had five hours left to save her nephew. Jareth had said son. How could someone so clever not understand that she wasn't going to marry. There was only one man that she wanted now. "Jareth, I am done waiting."

"Good thing that I am back." She spun to see him at the door. "My brother now uses computers. I never understand them. I also went to see your Jared."

"How is he?" Sarah gripped his shirt. Wide eyed as she had when she was looking for Toby.

"You have taught him well. He didn't want to talk to me. Erik got the truth out of him though the teenager that is taking care of him."

"That is a relief. I could only hope that someone would be there for him. Toby had you."

"Sarah why didn't you correct me when I called him your son?"

"You should have known better." Her hands went to her hips. "Do you really think that I would find the love of a mortal man with a face like this?"

"Erik did."

"And look what it got him." Sarah had always felt for the man. Erik may have started out twisted but Christine had broke him of that long ago. Now he had his son. "I wasn't going to go through that."

"You could have just called me. I don't care what you look like. I only love your soul and heart." Jareth whispered. That was because they were of the same soul. Sarah pulled away from him at that thought.

"I am going to wake that Skye girl. Levy will probably wants to talk to you too. She has been hounding me with questions about the kingdom." Jareth took her arm.

"So I am rejected again, Sarah?" He said to the ground.

"I don't know." Sarah turned to him. "I don't know if your feelings are real or if they come from the Labyrinth. I know it loves me. I have felt it's pull since I was a child. That is why I let S.H.I.E.L.D. have the book."

"When you figure it out?"

"You will be the third one to know." She smirked.

"Third?"

"I would be first. Then your damnable maze and then you." He laughed at her. Sarah loved that sound. "I just hope that I can settle this before another twenty years go by. I won't live as long as you."

"I will wait for you for however many lifetimes that it takes you to understand." That was so romantic but a little scary. He would waste away to nothing.

"Jareth, you have to make me a promise."

"Anything. Well almost anything."

"If I say no please find someone else that will make you happy."

"See that is one of the two things that I will never do. I will never give up on you and I will never forget you." She sighed. "You had me hook line and sinker when you stood up to me and said my labyrinth was a piece of cake. The sheer defiance in your eyes, the shaking of your voice. You were unsure how I was going to take that. I was unsure that I wouldn't kiss you when I leaned into you."

"I was an arrogant child." Sarah said defensively.

"So was I. You stood up to me." He gave her a sad half smile.

"So?"

"So no one had done that. You were fifteen but you forced me to fall in love with you. At the time I was born it would have been common place for me to wed you." His eyes turned dark. "In the end you rejected me. It took me a long time to figure out why. I didn't watch you during that time. I was a dark hurt down in my soul." Sarah reached for him but he backed away. "I heard you scream the day of the wreck. It wasn't my name but I still went to you. It was something from my nightmares."

"Were you the one in the hospital room? The nurses kept telling me my husband would be back." She had hoped it wasn't a pervert. She wanted to believe that she heard Jareth's voice.

"Erik had to tell them that. The paramedics wouldn't let me near you at the site. I was going out of my mind trying to get to you." The king fell to the edge of the bed. "You held the bundle in a death grip. Your face and arm were covered in burnt flesh. Toby spoke to you. Nothing you said would make you give up the tiny Jared. Calling him Jared made me think that you were his mother not the dead woman in the car." Jareth fingered a ring on his had. It looked like a wedding ring.

"You wouldn't let go. I made this ring from the bumper that was at Erik's feet as he explained to the police that I was your husband. Seeing a matching ring on your finger they let me to you." Sarah forced herself not to grab the ring around her neck. She never took it off. Sarah wasn't going to tell Jareth about the ring though. "By this time Toby was frantic thinking that you were crushing the child. I got to you and said your name you calmed." Toby never said anything to Sarah about any of this. "Toby knew me at first glance and didn't fear me. I thought it was because you had told him not to fear me. Maybe you had changed your mind. Hope drove me into a horrible grief. The paramedics didn't give you a great chance on survival." He looked up at her.

Never in all the years that she had seen the king she had never seen his tears. She had gone a few times for some extra healing and saw Jareth at a distance but never like this. "I was sure without my magic you were going to die on me. I blamed myself. Had I just been watching-" His voice cracked. Sarah was in tears. Her throat hurt from holding her breath as the king spoke. "I could have protected you. Toby's wife and your parents would be alive. I know that I said I didn't care about the scars. I don't but you wouldn't had to quit your one true passion. I could have saved you so much heart ache."

Sarah fell between his knees. "God Jareth it wasn't your fault. It was a drunk driver. He hit the car with Dad and Karen. Toby and I drove in my little Smart car. Had he hit my car Toby and I would have died instantly. Jennifer happened to be in there with the kids. It was the bigger car. I saw it on fire."

Jareth placed a finger to her lips."Toby told me why you went in. I was so proud of you. Although you couldn't save all of them I am glad that you saved the kids. Toby told me later while we sat with you that the coroner said the parents were dead on before the fire." He traced a line of tears down her face. "I wanted to tell you that you were still the brave woman that fell in love with. You just didn't want to wake up. Seeing you in that bed after killed any hope I had. I swore to you right then and there if you lived that I wouldn't let you go. I would find a way to convince you that I really truly love you."

"You didn't have to promise me anything Jareth."

"Apparently I did. Erik took me to get coffee. When I got back you were awake." Jareth kissed her forehead. "I have never lied to you Sarah. I swore to you. I also swore to myself that I would be your champion. That is the reason I came to you when you called me. No matter what names you call me I am at your call." Sarah blushed. After this monologue he wanted to make her smile. "A blush will work."

"I promise you that once I have my nephew back we will sit and talk about things." That got the happiest smile that she had ever gotten from the Fae. She hoped that she would not disappoint him.

"I count the hours, Sarah mine." She hugged her king. "Now let us get this quest going."

Skye had not gone to sleep yet when the soft knock came at the door. She wasn't at all surprised that it was the Goblin King and Sarah either. Levy wasn't far behind them rubbing yawning. No Gajeel with her. "We have the intell we need." Sarah said. Skye just nodded. Coulson's was the only room that she went to. Skye had told the other three to head to the conference room. Now she stood at her boss' bedroom door wondering if she should even knock.

"Skye?" His voice came from her right. "What is it?"

"Jareth is back with the intell. I had them head back to the conference room. I thought that you might want to hear what he brought back."

"Go wake May. I will get Trip." Skye was not blind. She had seen the way May looked at Coulson. Especially after the shit hit the fan. Coulson was still angry at her betrayal. Skye didn't see it like that. That was why she wanted May on ever mission. It was just an added bonus that May hated Ward as much as Skye hated him.

It took longer for Trip to get to the conference room than May. And now that they were all assembled Jareth gave Skye the flash drive. "It took me a while to figure out how to use the computers my brother has when I did I copied all the files he had on the children and the state of my kingdom. I also stopped in on the wished away."

"How are they?" Skye brought up a map. The five points on the star were red. At the center the castle stood with the shield over it. Sarah glared at the screen. The bog, the gate, the mountains, the forest and the lake. When Sarah was there last they were hell. Now that they were corrupt it would be worse.

"Crowded. My Labyrinth started hiding them in the oubliettes but they are all filled now so I used the last of it's magic to hide who she could in a secret area just south of my castle." Jareth pointed at the area called The Forbidden Grove. "It is where the peaches once grew. My brother believes that this is where the corruption first started. However that is the smaller castle I was born in. My Labyrinth is taking care of the children there."

Sarah smiled. She now had a destination. Could see the path she didn't see before. "That first turn is where Mr. Aussie Worm and his wife live right?"

"Yes." Sarah groaned. Had she not been impatient she could have asked why he didn't want her to go that way.

"Gods I was stupid at fifteen. I could have easily shaved four hours off my trip had I asked the question." She mumbled behind her hands. More annoyed with herself than with the worm. "Jareth when I go back will I start at the gate?"

"I could take you where ever you would want here. I don't know if I would start at the gate though. The vines covering it are oozing black slime."

"That would be fascinating as a sample." Simmons said from the door. "Oh sorry." She sat next to Sarah.

"This is not a field trip Sims."

"I know. I know."

"It is not the only spot that is covered in the black slime." Jareth pointed to the bog. "Your Prince has it rough right now. There is only slime there now."

"Prince?"

"It was a punishment that Jareth is going to revoke when we finish this. Right?"

"From what I hear he has nothing to worry about. Hoggle tells me that he is now my brother's steward."

"So that wasn't a lie. I just had the wrong king. Poor Hoggle." Sarah whispered as Jareth continues his speech.

"With all of this going on how are we ever going to save Jared?"

"I am the champion of the Labyrinth. With that come special gifts." Sarah stood. "I wish the Goblin King-"

It took Jareth a second to hear what she was saying. The power, her power caught him first. "Sarah no!"

"Would face me right now." There was an explosion of black glitter as the man stood in the center of the "U". Blonde just as Jareth but with black eyes. He sneered at Sarah. "Take me to Jared."

"Sure thing." They had the same smile.

"That easy?" She asked. "You are going to let me run the Labyrinth again?"

"Most certainly not. You are not the runner. You are the wished away, my dear." The joyful voice said to her. "Jareth will be runner."

"That is not the deal." They said in unison.

"I don't make the rules Sweetheart. Once Jareth broke into my castle and had Hogbrain work on my computers I knew that was how I was going to punish him." Sarah blinked away from the group. "Jareth you have the normal time allotted to save your beloved Champion Sarah."

"And if I fail?" Jareth was held back by the tiny blue haired mage.

"Sarah becomes my wife. I gain the power you seek." Jareth was then gone. "As for you little one." Gajeel was suddenly there pulling her away from the demon looking king. This amused the king. "Talk to my Labyrinth one more time and you will join Sarah as my whore." Then the king was gone.

"Say the words Gajeel." Levy said holding her fists at her side. There was no way she was going to let Sarah and Jareth do this alone.

"Hell no." Gajeel crossed his arms over his chest.

"Excuse me?" Levy said with Skye.

"Levy you don't know what you are doing there. We know next to nothing." Levy's body relaxed. "Please don't go alone."

"Why would I? I am going to take your whole team. If Gajeel says the words we would all be there right now." He stood firm.

"I never agreed to this. I am not running some maze to find you. You know what I said on Tenrou." All too well. Levy played it over and over in her mind. Almost daily. "Beside what would Gramps say if I sent you into the clutches of that evil Laxus?"

"Gajeel Redfox!" He stepped back a foot. He knew that look all too well. "I have become part of this story whether you like it or not. I think that the master would be proud of me for not letting an innocent getting hurt."

"Fine!" Skye could not remember a time when her bookworm of a friend had raised her voice. This was not the Levy she knew. Skye smiled to see that Levy gave as good as she got. "If you die I will never forgive you."

"Please. With you there I won't get a scratch." Gajeel held on to his Shrimp. "I know that you will find me. I have faith in you."


	5. Chapter 5

_0-8-4 LABYRINTH_

_A.N. I don't own Shield, Labyrinth or Fairy Tail _

_Thanks for the reviews._

_**AN: Sorry guys I kinda of got lost in something else that wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it all down. **_ s/10476449/1/Silent-Spirit-Online_ **I honestly don't know what was on my mind when I wrote this but now it is done I will get back to other things. Thanks for all the likes and reviews. Lexie**_

CHAPTER FIVE

"I wish the Goblin King would take you all away right now." Gajeel ached in his soul when he held the empty air. "I love you, Levy."

"Well you better go get her then, Dragon." The Demon King had returned sitting in Coulson's chair. "Funny how your little book worm could get so deep into the magic that she found a place I couldn't reach her."

"That is my Shrimp. Damn good at her job."

"And forcing you into things that you don't want to do." Gajeel just gihi-ed. "She is so frustrating. I will enjoy racing you to get to her." Gajeel blinked to find himself at the gates. "One day her books are going to be the death of her." The king's voice echoed off the walls. That were not covered in vines or slime as Jareth has stated. This must have been another door. Gajeel couldn't smell Levy either. He did hear her scream.

"I knew this was a bad idea." He summoned his shadow iron dragon roar. Who gives a crap about solving it when you can make your own path. The roar just deflected off the walls. "What the hell?" Time for the old fashion way.

Walls fell to the screams of his Levy. If she was tied to the maze itself could he be hurting her by his rushing too her? Until he saw her pinned against to a wall he didn't know. The pupils of her eyes were gone as the screams continued. Everything about her seems pale. Even her hair. "Holy fuck." Gajeel ran to her only to be blocked by the king. "Get out of the way you freak. I found her before you."

"Yes but destroying the walls you did more than cheat. You caused her screams." Gajeel blinked. "Again." This guy had to be messing with him. No way it would work that way. "She is pinned to a try again because of you, Iron Dragon Slayer. Congratulations." The king said in Jose's voice. "I knew that you could do it, my boy."

"I didn't hurt my Shrimp again. I swore that I would protect her." Jose was now at his hip seemingly eying up the good work Gajeel had done. Levy was no longer in her little orange halter dress. She was in her shorts, vest and bikini top. Phantom Lord mark on her belly. Gajeel fell to his knees in front of her. He did this.

"Get the hell away from him." This other Levy wore a long white and black gown. She looked like a real princess. She wrote vanish in the air. The Jose did just that. "It wasn't your fault Gajeel. You were doing what you were ordered." He felt her at his shoulder. Now Gajeel knew that he was going crazy. "This is just a nightmare. You didn't do this again."

"Yes I did." She sighed. "I hurt you. You fought back and gave me pleasure so I beat you down harder." Levy had always thought that that was a lie. The look in his eyes that night was not pleasure but fear. "I thought that you would be an easy mark."

"Gajeel-"

"You are not real. That is the real you." He pointed to the tree. "I did that. I killed you this time." Beside the tree was an image of a lifeless Levy wrapped in vines covered in ooze. "I will never forgive myself." The one standing over Gajeel slapped him across the face. It hurt. How could a figment of his imagination hurt him?

"You are so stupid Gajeel." Her hands were on her hips. Only his Levy would hit him. No one had the courage to do it. Well maybe Natsu, but he was an idiot. "I knew the risks better than you did when I came into this world. This isn't killing me."

"You look dead." He refused to look at her. Levy let her arms fall to her sides. She had seen that look before. On missions when he thought that she was sleeping. He still beat himself up for all those years ago. "I destroyed you. Again."

"I am merging with the maze. My magic is reinforcing the wards around the kids." Levy fell into his lap. He held her close to him so he could smell the butterscotch shampoo that she used. This certainly seemed like his Levy. "Gajeel, I am not worried about the tree anymore."

"Why not?"

"I know that you lie to yourself about it." Her brown eyes smiled at him. "Jose told you to do it and you think that you enjoyed beating us into nothing but the truth is I didn't see you enjoying yourself." Gajeel blinked. "You have fun sparing with Lily and Natsu. Some part of you also likes testing yourself against Laxus. Though I am not sure why that is. Lightning and metal and all." She pulled his face to him. "I was awake for most of the time you were pinning me to that tree."

"Were you really?"

"You said you wished for a girl that could stand up to you like I did." He pulled her tighter into his chest. "Why do you think that I started to train harder? Or went on missions alone? Even though I knew you were following me I knew I had to become stronger. Tougher to challenge you." He smiled finally.

"Only my fictional Levy say this to my face."

"Fictional?" She pushed him back. "Think about conversations with me a lot?"

"Sure. I think I am going crazy." Gajeel pushed away hair from her face. "I ask you on dates." Dates? She wanted that too. To have him spend time with just her. No Jet, Droy or Lily. "I think about ways to ask for your hand. I am a dragon slayer. We mate for life. I can't think of living my life without you." Levy's heart burst with the love she felt for him. "We have conversations about kids. In my mind you say two."

"Ask me to my face, Gajeel." She stood up. "You could hear my real words back at you." She pulled him to stand. Reluctantly he followed the princess version of Levy. Still holding her hand he stood before the Levy pinned to the wall. "Tell me Gajeel."

"Tell you what? That I love every part of you? That I can't live without you now?" Levy's feelings escaped her eyes. At his shouts.

"Gajeel, I love you. I have since Tenrou. The moment you told me to stay by your side." He was thick headed that only the direct approach was going to work. "I forgive you." She watched something in side his soul spark to life. "I forgive you for all the times that you have hurt me." Gajeel watch her back into the Levy on the wall. "I forgive you for not seeing my little girl crush. I forgive you if you can't say you love me. I know that love is a hard feeling. I will always by your side. After all I promised."

The Levy on the wall was the only Levy before him now. The urge to destroy the vines that held her captive overwhelmed him. Claws tore at vines only to see the black ooze solidify as more vines drawing her blood this time. A single rose grew over the thorn that drew blood. Gajeel saw wince in pain as more thorns drew from her. This was getting worse. Forcing his hand through a clear spot her felt her waist. His other hand was above her head. At least she wouldn't be alone.

"Gajeel, I forgive you." The empty being said into his chest.

"Don't forgive me, Shrimp. I don't deserve it."

"Yes you do."The vines moved to creep up his arms. "You are not the one that wants to hurt me." Her had fell forward.

"I can never hurt you again Levy." She looked up with her unseeing eyes. "When you are near me I want nothing more than to hold you." Levy didn't smile. Gajeel needed her to smile. "My heart aches when you are with your boys on missions thinking about how they could get you hurt of killed." The vines tightened around her so he tightened his grip on her. "I am frozen by the feeling I have for you when you sit yourself down next to me. Even if you are just reading. I live to hear you laugh. Smell your sweet shampoo. What will happen to me if you leave me?" Everything got tighter causing her to gasp in pain.

"Gajeel-" He kissed her. HE kissed HER. Levy wasn't expecting that. His arms held her as close as hers demanded. That seemed to just deepen the kiss. When Gajeel broke for air he saw his Levy red, swollen and smiling. "I love you Gajeel."

"I know that now Shrimp." Reluctantly Gajeel let Levy try to stand on her own. She wouldn't have any of that. Levy's arms stayed locked around his neck. "Levy?"

"I just need to hear you say it once." Gajeel growled pushing her against the wall again. She giggled in delight. "Just once."

"What?" She gave her disappointed face. The one he hated to see. Especially if it was directed at him. "When we get home, I am moving your from Fairy Hills, Levy." She frowned. "I will not be block by Erza any time I want to see my mate." That got a smile. "I love you, Levy McGarden. If you will have me I would like to have you in my life forever." Her legs not locked around his waist pulling a groan from him. "I guess that is a yes."

"I will love being your girlfriend, mate and mother of your baby dragons." At that Levy could feel the Labyrinth's life magic erupt all around them. "For future reference I want more than two." Gajeel kissed her damn hard. The only thing that ruined the moment was the sword swinging down at them. Gajeel easily blocked it.

"Go help the others Levy."

"Just don't die." Iron words puffed into being all over the cobbled ground. "Remember that Gajeel." He just gihi-ed. That made her smile. Levy loved that laugh.

As she ran things around her turned green. Walls repaired. Sounds of the battle silenced behind her only to roar ahead of her. The repairs slowed down then stopped the closer Levy got to the fight. Jareth fought his brother. Swords clang. The Fae lords were out for blood. There was no time for this useless battle. Levy wrote push as she ran to the current king.

Marcos sliced the word in half. "Don't interrupt child."

"Levy?" Jareth snarled. "Shouldn't you be helping your friends?"

"Believe it or not Jareth I am." The small girl put herself between the two men. "Go find Sarah." Levy wrote sword.

"I can't feel her here. Everything feels like death." Levy turned to the man slamming the red ribbon book into his chest.

"She is your soul mate. Feel her. This is your link to her." Marcos attacked. Levy countered. "Go you need to find her so we all can go home." Jareth's eyes lit. Holding her copy he could feel her as if she was right there. Levy saw him bolt off after her smiling.

"Now you have done it woman." With a wave of his hand Levy was sent flying. "How is your script magic going to help you now?" Levy groaned sitting up. Marcos was not scarier than Gajeel the first time she had met him. She was stronger now. "Get up bitch." Pulling Levy off the ground so her feet dangled was a bad idea.

One foot to the groin. One to his kidneys. Marcos held tighter while he dropped. "You should really research the people you torment." Levy said punching him in the throat. As he coughed and sputtered Levy kneed him in the face feeling her brake his nose. "No one torments my Gajeel or any of my friends."

She heard Gajeel's gihi which caused her to blush. "You really did learn something from Lily didn't you?" Red eyes beamed with pride as the little woman took out some one twice her size and power. "Where to next Shrimp?"

"Jareth is going after Sarah. I reinforced the wards on the kids. All that is left is to find Skye and her team." He nodded. The man at her feet gurgled. Levy tapped his foot to silence him.

"How do we find them?" Levy pulled out the second book from her bag. "Why do I ask?" He sighed.

"I don't know." She smiled at him. Gajeel watched her step over the bleeding king. There was nothing he could go when he saw the king trip her. Levy squealed as she fell to her knees. The king was suddenly over her.

"I don't think so Dragon." Gajeel felt himself being pulled to the wall by the same vines he had saved Levy. "Now you are going to pay." Marcos slid his hand up her legs. Levy knew what he was planning. The hell she wasn't going to give him anything. He was just heavy on her so no matter how she fought he was pinned her harder to the ground which made her scream. "I will brake that heart of yours down to your very soul."

Elastics snapped as the energy of the area seemed to converge on one spot. Levy's eyes widened. She had only felt this one other time. The full force of the Shadow Iron Dragon Slayer. Though she wasn't afraid for herself she did worry that Gajeel might not come back from this. "You are so fucked now."


	6. Chapter 6

_0-8-4 LABYRINTH_

_A.N. I don't own Shield, Labyrinth or Fairy Tail _

CHAPTER SIX

Skye groaned feeling that she had been on the worst roller coaster she had been on. Everything hurt but at the same time she wanted nothing more than to vomit. "At least you are awake." That voice. Oh god what was he doing here? "I was beginning to think that I was in hell when you fell down here." The Fae gods were cursing her. Grant Ward was in the same room as she was.

"Fuck." She groaned. He got up. "Stay away from me, Ward." She back away to the wall. The only light was his flashlight and the hole in the ceiling. That was when she realized what she had done. She fell into the oubliette. You would think that, with as many times as she had seen the movie that Skye would know what to avoid.

"Where am we?"

"An oubliette in the Labyrinth." She replied blindly groping for the door she had seen Hoggle find for Sarah. All her hopes on the movie being close to the truth.

"The what?" Ward pointed his flash light at her letting her see the canvas that hid the wooden plank. "What are you doing?"

"Getting myself out of this hell." He groaned.

"Why am I here with you, Skye? It seems like you don't want me here."

"You think?" She glared back at him. His eyes looked so hurt. "I don't know why you are here. The book was only to send the team here. You are not on the team any more." She said propping up the door. "Please work." It fell back on her. Shit. "No." Skye slapped the door angrily. Why didn't it work like in the movie? Was that just movie magic? "Magic." She stood up. This was something that Levy could do. She believed in magic. Maybe that was the way it worked.

"Magic?" She felt him get up. "Skye what the hell is going on?"

"I don't have to tell you." Skye took a deep breath closing her eyes she went back to the memories of Levy. Conjuring words from nothing. Like the feather pillows they would fight with in the foster homes. The rain on warm summer days. Levy was magic. Skye saw the wonder in it. Even now she saw the gifts Levy was born with. Skye just had to believe as Levy did. The handle turned in her light grip. Light poured over her closed eyes. A breath of fresh air filled her lungs.

"Skye?" That brought her back.

"Bye Ward." Quickly she moved though the door closing it behind her. How did he get there? It should have been just the team. That is what Levy and she had talked about at supper.

"Skye?!" Skye got up and ran. She needed to tell Coulson. He would deal with Ward. Or May to kick his ass again. Why was Skye crying? It wasn't like he totally had her heart. Ward was a traitor now. He hurt and killed innocents. That was not the man that she loved.

"You are going the wrong way." One rock face said making her jump.

"This path will lead you to certain doom." Skye shook her head.

"No more than the path behind me." Wood cracked and splintered. "Crap." She hid herself amidst the rocks. When he got closer she saw the look on his face. A panic. She blinked.

"This path will lead you to certain doom." The face said.

"What do you mean?" He asked it.

"If you go that way you will die." Ward's eyes shot open. "She is going to die."

"I will never let that happen." He said in his growl. "I will not let Skye come to harm."

"Do you care for her good knight?" A small dog like creature looked up at the Ward. "The Lady Skye is Queen Sarah's friend. I will not allow you to harm her. The queen as so ordered it."

"I will not answer a dog." Ward pointed his gun at Didymus. Skye rolled pulling Didymus with her. The shot just going wide. "Skye?"

"God dammit Ward." She stood up "Didn't you hear what I said about where we are? Didn't you watch movies as a kid?" Didymus stood in front of Skye growling. "This is Sir Didymus. Kill him and Sarah will be on your ass so fast you will think May is a snail."

"Lady Skye." Didymus turned to Skye. Skye dropped herself to the knight's level. Magic was a wonderful thing. "How did you and the queen come to this place?"

"She wished herself away, Didymus. I need to get to her. I am not sure that Jareth will be able to with his brother hunting him." Skye gave the knight a concerned smile looking him in his one eye.

"King Jareth must fight his brother for the crown and Queen Sarah. That is the way of things but if you say that Queen Sarah is in danger then I will take you to her." Skye kissed the top of Didymus' head. "V-v-very good dear Lady."

"Will someone explain to me what is going on?" Ward dropped his gun.

"Are you going to leave me alone if I do?" Skye glared up at the man. Pulling herself up to her full height. Did she really want an answer to Didymus' question? "Nothing here is as it seems."

"My Lady Skye speaks the truth which is why sir knight I ask you again. Do you care for Lady Skye or do you wish her harm?" Skye's eyes met Ward's troubled ones.

"It is not that simple." He groaned.

"Love never is Ward." She sighed. "I am young you know that. So when you saved my ass you became my hero. I started to see you as my knight in Kevlar. When you turned out to be Hydra I died inside. Every time Fitz tried to convince me that you were a good man under it I got angry. You hurt me. I saw my knight show me the truth of the world." She took a deep breath. "The wasn't just me you hurt. Fitz hasn't been normal since you tried to kill them. Coulson and May can't talk to each other. Trip wants to kill you for hurting Simmons. You broke all our hearts."

"You don't understand the situation."

"Then explain it to me." Skye looked down at her watch. "I have eleven hours." He ran a hand through his hair. This was not how he wanted to explain it to her. "Well?"

"It was either Hydra or prison." He blurted. She blinked. "Garrett saved me from prison. He raised me to be the perfect solider. I was safe and alive. When he told me that he was Hydra what I going to say?"

"No."

"Garrett could have over powered me in one move. Don't you see Skye? It was a way for me to survive."

"Then why did you join Coulson's team?"

"Orders."

"Was getting close to me orders?" Didymus wrapped around Skye's legs to comfort her. "Saving me all those times? Were they orders?"

"Not at the beginning. I did really fall for you Skye. You were hope in a tiny little geeky package. When we started to train I felt that you would be able to end my torment." He moved closer to her. "Then Raina told Garrett that you were important. That was when I was ordered to bring you in. You don't know how hard it was for me Skye. I needed to follow orders but at the same time I feared what that woman would do to you."

"That is why you kidnapped me?"

"I had hoped that you would figure out before we left. I would fake your death. Just as I did with Fitz-Simmons. Garrett would stop looking for you. When I could I was planning to give myself up to Coulson. I love you Skye. I would do anything I could to keep you safe."

"Leave them." That was an order. Skye was giving him an order. Ward smiled inwardly. He loved this Skye. Not the one that cried in front of him. "Leave Garrett and Hydra. Come back to the bus. If you love me as much as I love you hand yourself over to Coulson. He is here."

"You really love me?"

"God Grant-" His lips were on hers. Skye tried to fight him only to grip his shirt. Things around them changed. Skye could feel it. The faces vanished. Children started to giggle around them.

"You are the only one I wanted to hear my first name from. I love you so much Skye."

"Will you hand yourself over to Coulson?" Her eyes pleaded.

"Anything to be with you. I will take his punishment."

"Lady Skye, the queen is calling for you and Lady Levy." Didymus said. On a realistic stand Skye knew that this was not going to last. This was the land of dreams. Something would happen and Ward would be gone again. Skye was not going to let that stop her dream she found herself in. This was the only time that she let herself hope.

"Take us to her." Ward said. Skye followed the little knight not feeling Ward's hand on her back. When she looked up at him it returned. It was too soon for him to pull away and he knew it too. However Skye knew that if his hands were on her and they were attacked by Marcos Ward couldn't defend them properly. At least that is what she told herself.

As they came to the surface, Skye saw the manor house Jareth had shown them. Kids played in the yard. Sarah spoke with some of the older children and grown ups that were assembled at tables on the other side of the yard. "Sarah." Skye called. Sarah stood up walking towards the young lady. Relief on her eyes. Skye held on to Ward's hands until she passed the barrier. "What is going on?"

"Stay away from him." Sarah pulled Skye from the barrier. "He wants to do someone here harm." Sarah stated calmly.

"Ward?"

"I swear to you Skye there is no one here that I would hurt." Ward panicked. This was not happening. He finally got Skye to say she loved him. He finally gave into his feelings. Why was he not allowed to be with her?

"Skye?" She turned around to see Ace Peterson. "If you are here than my Dad is here right?"

"Sorry kid. I don't know if your Dad is here. I didn't know you were here." Something in Ward's eyes gave away that this was his target. Skye held the child tighter to her. This was who Ward was here for.

"Ace can you go get some tea and snacks for Skye? She is just going to say good bye to her friend." The boy nodded leaving. "Skye, who is this man?"

"The man that betrayed my love for him." Ward slumped. She knew.

"I was ordered to bring Ace in."

"Good bye Ward." She waved at him. With that he vanished. "I hate him." Sarah held the girl for a moment as she cried. "He hurts me too much."

"Jareth used to do that to me too." Sarah said waving at Ace who called their names. Skye dried her eyes. "If it helps you strengthened the barrier on this place." Skye gazed at the woman. "You have what they call _one true love_."

"That is only in Fairy Tales."

"This is the land of fairy tales and dreams. Only those who truly believe in that kind of magic can see this place." Skye gave her a spite filled smile. "People like us we gotta stick together. Keep your head up. Nothing lasts forever. He will come back to you. Until then I will help where I can. Once Jareth kills his brother that is."

"I am too old for dreams and fairy tales."

"That is what I said. Then I fell in love with the Goblin King." Sarah pulled out the chair around her neck. "This is the ring he made for me. Jareth has a matching one. It was the only way he could be near me when this happened." Sarah pointed to her scarred face. "I knew that he was with me. I could feel his magic. When he told me last night about something that I already knew I wanted to tell him the truth."

"Are you going to?"

"After I get Jared back to his father. Jareth has worked so hard to show me he loves me. It is only fair I prove it to him." They sat at the table with Ace. "Nothing last forever except love. Love never dies."

"Sarah!" They turned to the new voice. Sarah's dull eyes lit ablaze. Jareth stood at far end of the lane that lead to the house.

"Jareth." Skye watched Sarah launch herself at her king. They ran at each other meeting half way Jareth spinning her around.

"They were really like a fairy tale." Ace said. "Is that Mr Coulson?" Skye saw the older man pat Jareth on the back. Of all the people that she wanted to see she realized that Coulson was the one she needed most. At his side was May. "You should go to them and tell them about Grant." Ace suggested. Skye debated right up until Coulson said her name.

Skye wrapped her arms around her boss. "What is wrong Skye?" She was in full blow tears.

"Mr Ward was here." Ace said. Coulson pushed Skye away looking down at the girl to see that she was unharmed. "He was here to take me away again but Skye sent him away with magic."

"Talk to me Skye."

"Phil let me talk to her." May suggested.

"Ace this is not going to be a conversation for you so can you help me put Jared down for his afternoon nap?" The boy kissed Skye's cheek.

"Dad will beat him up for you. He is a bad man." Then the boy ran away head of Sarah.

"Where did you find him Skye?"

"He was in the oubliette with me. I got us out of it. Sir Didymus confronted Ward. After some prompting Ward told me the only reason that he is with Garrett is to stay out of prison and alive. He told me he loved me." May held the girl close to her. Skye didn't realized she could cry so hard.

"I am sorry, Skye. I didn't realize that you loved him this much." May whispered into the girl's hair.

"I should be mad at you May for sleeping with him but I can't."

"I can." They said together. Skye blinked up at her surrogate parents. They didn't look at each other just at her.

"It was ridiculous to endanger the team like that but then again you like to do that." Skye had never heard Coulson's voice so angry and hurt. There was something going on here more than Ward's appearance.

"Phil drop it." He didn't look at her. "I am sorry I didn't tell you about Fury's orders. You know that I couldn't. He out ranks you." Skye saw him take a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Do you know where you sent him?" Coulson ignored May.

"Not really. I am sure that it was back to Garrett. I was so mad at him. He can't tell me his deep dark secret, that he loves me then reveal that he was under orders to kidnap Ace again." Skye looked to the cake on the table. "He swore that he would turn himself into you. Only to you sir."

"That is something." May sighed. "He wouldn't have done that months ago."

"Ward has some sense of honor still?" Coulson seemed to think. "When we find him again I wonder if he would. It could be a trap."

"Considering how much that fool loves our Skye, I am sure we could turn him back."

"What?" Skye blinked at May's words.

"I will tell you later. We need to finish this job first." As if on cue Sarah and Jareth came back to the table. "I have noticed some changes around here, your Majesty."

"I have felt it. I think I know what is going on. Love created the Labyrinth. Love tore it into three and it was lack of love that was killing it. At the three points that have been saved someone has brought love back to it." Sarah pulled a map from a copy of the book.

"Three?" Coulson asked.

"I could feel it at the Nexus." Sarah said, pointing to the north. "I am sure that was Levy and her Dragon. I could feel the kind of pain that could only be self hatred." She looked to Jareth. He just kissed her hands. "I left Levy reach out to him before the Labyrinth righted itself there. The power of it reached here before Marcos put a stop to it."

"Levy came running at me telling me to go find you. The magic of life followed her. She took on my brother alone." Jareth explained. "I don't think that she could hold her ground against him. Not without her Dragon."

"I hope she is okay." Skye said. Levy was still little. Though he seemed tougher than Skye remembered Levy couldn't have been a match for a Fae Lord. She was more like Simmons."Fitz-Simmons." Skye gasped. They were still out there. "Where is Trip?"


End file.
